Disabled victimised at Winter Wonderland by Westminster City Council…. By Jim Thomas
So, finally we find out who is behind the exclusion of the Taxi trade from the old rank in South Carriage Drive.
At a site meeting, which took place yesterday, the trade found that the major objector to drivers using the rank, usually implemented outside the main exit to Winter Wonderland on South Carriage Drive (SCD), is in fact “Westminster City Council”.
Westminster officials are adamant that the trade should be banned from SCD and be made to use the new, badly situated rank, in a deserted part of North Carriage Drive.
Something is not right here and only time will tell why we have been excluded from SCD, as no rational explanation has been laid on the table.
When asked about disabled access to transport from the event, Westminster City Council unbelievably suggested that people with disabilities such as wheelchair users, should make their way across a major six lane 40mph carriageway (Park Lane), to the Intercontinental rank in Hamilton Place, on the off chance there may be a taxi waiting there.
Surely under the Equality Act this can’t be ethical.
The London Taxi trade have also been informed that as far as Westminster are concerned, the book is now closed on this issue and there will be no further meetings or discussions.
But last night, defiant Taxi Drivers were still ranking outside the main exit on South Carriage Drive. Police were occasionally moving on Cabs, but speaking to individual officers, it appears, most actually support the call for a reinstatement of the old rank on safety issues.
To say members of certain orgs within the United Trade Group are disappointed with their reps handling of this issue, would be a massive understatement. Many feel the situation should never have got this far out of hand and a suitable rank should have been sorted months ago.
Perhaps these people who take our hard earned money, just are not up to the job!
As of this morning, no official statement has been made on behalf of the United Trade Group to their members.
Anyone wishing to personally complain about this
situation should email Westminster City Councils Transport Commisioner Martin Low : mlow@westminster.gov.uk
Ex-minister David Mellor called cab driver ‘little, sweaty, stupid s***’
A former Cabinet Minister has said he regrets losing his temper, after being recorded launching an expletive-ridden tirade at a taxi driver following a visit to Buckingham Palace with his partner who had just been awarded a CBE.
David Mellor, a QC and former Conservative MP, called the cab driver a ‘sweaty, stupid little s**t’ during an argument about the route he wanted to travel on Friday.
Mr Mellor, who had accompanied his partner, VisitEngland chairman Viscountess Penelope Cobham, to an Investiture ceremony with the Prince of Wales, was heard in a mobile phone recording given to The Sun.
He told the paper the driver, who is not named but is described as a 38-year-old from south east London, had provoked him.
‘This man seriously provoked me and ruined a wonderful day,’ he said.
‘Once I had lost my temper, which I regret, he then secretly recorded me. I will leave the public to judge his actions.’
The paper reported that Mr Mellor accused the driver of not taking the quickest route to their destination in east London during rush hour.
During the audio Mr Mellor, who told the driver to ‘f*** off’, said he would name him and discuss the incident on his LBC radio show, which he co-presents with former London Mayor Ken Livingstone on Saturday mornings.
He also said: ‘You’ve been driving a cab for 10 years, I’ve been in the Cabinet, I’m an award-winning broadcaster, I’m a Queen’s Counsel. You think that your experiences are anything compared to mine?’
In response to the recording journalist Piers Morgan tweeted: ‘This tape is outrageous. David Mellor, you’re a loathsome snob. I hope London’s black cab drivers now boycott David Mellor. Looks like he could do with a few walks anyway.’
Mick Cash, general secretary of transport union the RMT, said: ‘Driving a taxi in London is hard enough without having some pumped-up, pompous former Tory minister telling you how to do your job.
‘If you want an example of the political elite’s sheer contempt for the working class then this incident has it in shed-loads.’
Nissan hold back new black cab over emission zone plan
TfL Notice 13/14 from General Manager, Helen Chapman.
M25 Dartford crossing: Millions of motorists face fines as crossing prepares to switch from toll-bridge to ‘free flow’ system
The change from toll-payments to a new system called the Dart Charge has been hailed by the Highways Agency as a way to reduce congestion at Britain’s busiest toll.
But a new fine system means drivers can incur a maximum charge of £105 for failing to pay the £2.50 toll.
The standard charge for cars will increase by 50 pence to £2.50, while two axle goods will increase to £3 and multi-axle goods will increase to £6.
Heavy traffic shown on the M25 near the Dartford Crossing on Good Friday this yearThe last toll-booth payment will be taken at 10pm on 29 November, with the new system coming into effect at 6am the next day, in which drivers’ number plates will be scanned by ANPR cameras
The fines for failing to pay for the toll crossing however, which people will only be able to do either online or over the phone, will be as high as £105.
Failure to pay the charge for crossing the bridge ahead of the journey or by midnight the following day will result in a £35 instant charge if paid within 14 days. Motorists who do not pay this fine will see it increased to £70 thereafter for up to 28 days, and finally £105 any time after.
Around 50 million journeys are made over the bridge each year, with between 130,000 and 170,000 vehicles crossing a day.
The Highways Agency said it is hoping for full compliance with the new charge system, but said it estimates around seven per cent of drivers will become fined overall, amounting to 3.5 million people.
A recent poll by the AA showed that 85 per cent of members were unaware they would have to pay by phone or online, the Daily Mail reported.
A spokesperson for the Highways Agency said it been running an activity since April to inform motorists of the changes, and had already had 50,000 people sign up to emails to stay informed about the crossing.
The Agency launched a million-pound advertising campaign on Thursday to publicise the new system, and setting up a pre-pay account for the Dart Charge will help drivers save up to a third on every crossing, the spokesperson added.
Source: The Independent
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